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Synthetic biology company Bestzyme has completed what it describes as the world’s first dedicated automated smart production line for sweet proteins at its facility in Jinan, China.
The GenScript Biotech subsidiary said the new production line marks the first full-chain integration of research and development, commercial-scale production and application for sweet proteins.
The facility has been developed to address challenges associated with reducing sugar in food and beverages while maintaining the taste and mouthfeel of sucrose.
Bestzyme’s flagship sweet protein, Mellia Brazzein, is designed to complement existing sweeteners including stevia and monk fruit. The company said the ingredient can help create a more rounded sweetness profile in reduced- and zero-sugar formulations.
Brazzein is a sweet protein derived from the fruit of the West African oubli plant. According to Bestzyme, it has a sweetness intensity thousands of times greater than sucrose, while containing no calories and having minimal impact on blood glucose.
However, the company said commercialising brazzein has historically been challenging due to low expression levels in production hosts and difficulties associated with separation and purification.
Bestzyme said its expertise in industrial enzymes and biocatalysis has enabled it to develop a high-density fermentation process for the ingredient.
The new Jinan facility covers 5,000 square metres and incorporates an automated fermentation, purification and freeze-drying process.
Once fully operational, the Mellia production line is expected to have annual capacity of more than 100 tonnes. Bestzyme said this would correspond to the sweetness of approximately 300,000 tonnes of sucrose, based on high-purity brazzein sweetness conversion.
The company added that production capacity could potentially double within two years.
Mellia has already undergone commercial validation in the US, where Bestzyme partnered with a sparkling water brand to develop a zero-sugar product using the sweet protein.
The company said the resulting beverage delivered a full-bodied sweetness profile and has moved the ingredient into a broader commercial scale-up phase.
Mellia received a US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) “No Questions” letter in April 2025, confirming the agency had no questions regarding Bestzyme’s GRAS conclusion for the ingredient. The company said regulatory work is also progressing in other markets.
Bestzyme said the new production infrastructure is intended to provide food and beverage manufacturers with greater supply stability and quality control as demand grows for sugar-reduction solutions.
The company positions Mellia as a complementary ingredient rather than a direct replacement for conventional sweeteners, with its blending capabilities intended to address taste and sweetness-profile challenges in reduced-sugar formulations.
Bestzyme is part of GenScript Biotech and specialises in industrial enzymes, biocatalysis and synthetic biology solutions for applications including natural sugar reduction.
